Surviving Older Patients Show Preserved Cellular and Humoral Immunological Memory Several Months After SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Abstract Understanding how older people respond to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is critical if we are to confront the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and establish effective vaccination strategies. Immunosenescence reduces the ability to respond to neoant...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journals of Gerontology: Series A 2022-01, Vol.77 (1), p.33-40
Main Authors: García-Torre, Alejandra, Bueno-García, Eva, López-Martínez, Rocío, Rioseras, Beatriz, Moro-García, Marco Antonio, Alonso-Alvarez, Sara, Lluna-González, Alba, Sousa-Fernández, Alejandra, Fernández-Gudin, Marta, Campos-Riopedre, Laura, Castro-del Cueto, Corina, Pérez-Fernández, Ana Belén, Alonso-Rodríguez, Ana, Menéndez-Peña, Carla, Menéndez-Peña, Lara, García-Arnaldo, Noelia, Feito-Díaz, Estefanía, Fernández-Lorences, Adriana, Fraile-Manzano, Agustín, Fernández-Iglesias, Carolina, Rivera, José Arturo, Pérez-Fonseca, Carmen, Urdiales-Ruano, Estibaliz, Debán-Fernández, María, Mendes-Moreira, Hugo, Herrero-Puente, Pablo, Alonso-Arias, Rebeca
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Antibodies, Viral - immunology
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay
Female
Granzyme B
Humans
Immunity, Cellular - physiology
Immunity, Humoral
Immunization
Immunoglobulin G
Immunologic Memory
Immunological memory
Immunosenescence
Lymphocytes
Lymphocytes B
Lymphocytes T
Male
Memory B Cells
Memory cells
Memory T Cells
Middle Aged
Neoantigens
Older people
Original
Pandemics
Patients
Peripheral blood
Producer cells
SARS-CoV-2
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Vaccination
γ-Interferon
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Summary:Abstract Understanding how older people respond to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is critical if we are to confront the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and establish effective vaccination strategies. Immunosenescence reduces the ability to respond to neoantigens and may compromise the life of infected individuals. Here, we analyzed the immunological memory to SARS-CoV-2 in 102 recovered patients aged over 60 years several months after the infection had been resolved. Specific memory T lymphocytes against the virus were measured by interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and granzyme B release by ELISpot; memory B-lymphocyte responses were quantified by detection of anti-S IgG1 producer cells by ELISpot and anti-S and anti-N antibodies were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Memory T lymphocytes were found in peripheral blood of most of the studied donors, more than 7 months after the infection in some of them. Fewer patients maintained memory B lymphocytes, but antibodies, mainly anti-S, were highly durable and positively correlated with T responses. More robust humoral responses were found in patients who had more severe symptoms and had been admitted to hospital. We concluded that specific immunity against SARS-CoV-2 is effectively preserved regardless of age, despite the great heterogeneity of their immune responses, and that memory T lymphocytes and anti-S IgG might be more durable than memory B cells and anti-N IgG.
ISSN:1079-5006
1758-535X
DOI:10.1093/gerona/glab206